Laddu

''Laddu'' or ''laddoo'' (; ms, kuih laddu; id, kue laddu) is a spherical sweet originating from India and spread through the Indian subcontinent and the Malay world. Laddus are primarily made from flour, fat (ghee/butter/oil) and sugar or jaggery. Laddus are often made of gram flour but can also be made with semolina. Sometimes ingredients such as chopped nuts and/or dried raisins can also be added. The type of ingredients used vary by recipe.

Laddus are often served during festive or religious occasions.

Etymology

''Laddu'' is derived from Sanskrit लड्डुक (laḍḍuka; a kind of sweetmeat).

History

At the Harappa archaeological site near Binjor in western Rajasthan, seven similarly sized laddus, consisting of legumes and cereals such as barley, wheat, chickpea and mung bean, were found in intact form, along with two figurines of bulls and a hand-held copper adze, during 2017 archeological excavations. According to Rajesh Agnihotri, the presence of bull figurines, adze and a Harappan seal along with the food balls indicates that Indus valley civilization people might have revered these items to perform some kind of ritual.

Composition

Common flours used for laddu include gram flour (chickpea flour), wheat semolina and ground coconut. These are combined with sugar and other flavorings, cooked in ghee, and molded into a ball shape. Some laddu recipes are prepared using Ayurvedic medicinal ingredients, including methi laddu, multigrain, and resin laddu. Nuts such as pistachios and almonds are commonly stuffed into laddus.

Boondi laddu

Boondi laddu or bundiar laddu is made from bengal gram flour (besan) based boondi. It is often served on festivals such as Raksha Bandhan and Diwali.

Motichoor laddu (Moti-choor means crushed pearls in Hindi) is made from fine boondi where the balls are tiny and are cooked with ghee or oil. The recipe for this laddu originated in north India and is now popular throughout the Indian subcontinent.

Besan laddu

Besan laddu is a popular Indian sweet dish made of besan (chickpea flour or gram flour), sugar, and ghee. Besan is roasted in ghee until it has a golden brown appearance with a nutty fragrance. Then sugar is added to it. Pistachio pieces may also be included in the mixture. Sweet balls are then made from this mixture. It has a long shelf life. It is often served at festivals, family events and religious occasions in India.

Coconut laddu

There are multiple coconut laddu recipes. Its earliest form ''Narayl Nakru'' dates back to the time of the Chola Empire, when it was a sweet that was packed for travelers and warriors as a symbol of good luck for their expeditions.

Paan laddu

In the Malay world, laddus made with palm sugar are known as klepon (in Indonesia) or onde-onde (in Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore).

Peda

Peda (cream balls) is a popular dessert in the Indian subcontinent, prepared from khoa (milk solids by evaporation). In India, among Hindus, it is often prepared as an offering to the gods.

Semolina or rava laddu

This is a laddu prepared from rava (semolina), sugar and ghee. A variant on the recipe includes khoa cheese as an additional ingredient.

Sesame laddu

Till laddu made with sesame seeds and then mixed with cheese to form balls are famous in India and Bangladesh during the months of winter.

Laddu with edible gum

In India, these are traditionally given to lactating mothers as they help in the production of milk. These laddus are called ''dinkache ladoo'' in Marathi and ''gond ka laddu'' in Hindi. The main ingredient is gum arabic which is collected from the babhul tree. Other ingredients include coconut, almonds, cashews, dates, spices such as nutmeg and cardamom, poppy seeds, ghee, and sugar.

An alternative multigrain recipe will have a portion of gum replaced by grains and legume flours such as besan, urid, ragi (nachani in Marathi) and wheat.

Texas laddu

This version of laddu is typically made with peanut butter, chocolate syrup, and flavored whiskey. A non-alcoholic version substitutes water for whiskey. The taste is similar to a Rum ball and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Some of the ingredients are smoked.

Other types

Laddu can be prepared from a variety of grains, legumes, and seeds. Some popular ones include laddu made with roasted wheat, amaranth, garden cress seeds, fenugreek seeds, and peanuts.

World record

The largest individual laddu weighs and was achieved by PVVS Mallikharjuna Rao (India), in Tapeswaram, Andhra Pradesh, India, on 6 September 2016. The laddu was made to a traditional Boondi recipe. The ingredients included ghee, refined oil, cashew nuts, sugar, almonds, cardamom, and water.

Cultural references

In the ''Sesame Street'' episode "Rakhi Road", laddus are featured prominently as a favored Indian dessert. Elmo is shown making laddus and enjoying eating them as part of the celebrations around the Indian festival of Rakhi.

A laddu weighing 6,300 kg was made for a Ganesh festival in Andhra Pradesh, India in September 2012. This was claimed to be the largest known laddu.

In the movie ''English Vinglish'', the protagonist Shashi Godbole (Sridevi) is a housewife who makes and sells laddoos for living.

See also

* Tirupati Laddu
* Khanom kho
* Indian sweets

References

{{Singaporean cuisine

Bangladeshi desserts
Bengali cuisine
Bihari cuisine
Bruneian snack foods
Burmese cuisine
Burmese desserts and snacks
Chickpea dishes
Kue
Indian pastries
Malay cuisine
Malaysian snack foods
Nepalese cuisine
Pakistani desserts
Singaporean cuisine
Thai desserts and snacks
Uttar Pradeshi cuisine
Vegetarian dishes of India